AMATEUR Chris Wood evoked memories of Justin Rose’s Open heroics of a decade ago with a brilliant finish to his second round at Royal Birkdale.

AMATEUR Chris Wood evoked memories of Justin Rose’s Open heroics of a decade ago with a brilliant finish to his second round at Royal Birkdale.

Wood (pictured) winner of the Welsh Amateur Strokeplay title at Conwy earlier in the season, chipped in on the 18th for a birdie three to complete a round of 70 and five-over-par total of 145, five off the lead and in pole position to win the silver medal for leading amateur.

Rose finished fourth here as a 17-year-old amateur in 1998 after pitching in for a birdie on the 72nd hole, and Wood said: “It’s unbelievable, to finish like that is so special.

“I was at the tournament in 1998 as a spectator, although not on Sunday when Justin did it, but I remember watching it on TV. His was in the last round so was a little bit more special, and it was from a bit further out, but I was not that far away.”

Wood’s father Richard is acting as his caddy this week and the 20-year-old from Bristol revealed his mother and aunt were among a 60-strong group of family and fellow Long Ashton golf club members who have been cheering him on.

“Half of them left at 5am this morning to get here,” added Wood, who was a member of Bristol City’s academy as a teenager until a knee injury – even though he is actually a Bristol Rovers fan – and at 6ft 5in described himself as a Peter Crouch-style centre forward.

“I would say there have to be about 50 or 60 of them here, but I only had six or seven passes so I had to give them to the people I thought deserved them most.

“My mother and aunt are here as well but my sister Abi is travelling in Europe. She sent me a text yesterday asking ‘Are you in that Open thing yet?”’

Wood comfortably made the halfway cut, a prerequisite to winning the silver medal.